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Top News
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
May 20th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition LXXIV
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
May 20th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition LXXIV
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What To Watch: Tuesday- Tuesday is teleconference day in NASCAR and this week, the sanctioning body is making Joey Logano available to assembled media at 3:30 PM ET. Logano is having his best season in the sport, winning twice on the Cup level while establishing himself as one of the favorites to contend for this year's championship.
- Also in teleconference land, ESPN is holding one of their own today prior to their coverage of the Indianapolis 500. Booth commentators Allen Bestwick, Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever, along with Rich Feinberg, ESPN's Vice President of Motorsports Production will be part of the roundtable discussion at 2:30 PM ET.
Today's TV Schedule
Time Telecast Network
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM NASCAR America NBC Sports Network
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 1
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 2*#
DVR Theater (Late Tuesday Night/Early Wednesday Morning)
2:30 AM - 3:00 AM NASCAR Now ESPN2
Top News
by Kevin Rutherford
Sir Jack Brabham, Three-Time Formula 1 Champion, Dead at 88
Sir Jack Brabham, a three-time Formula 1 champion who is the only competitor to win a Formula 1 title driving one of his own cars, has died. He was 88.
Brabham, from Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia, died Monday at his home in Gold Coast, news that was first reported by ESPN. He's survived by his wife Margaret and three children, Geoff, David and Gary -- all of whom also had racing careers.
"It's a very sad day for all of us," David Brabham, Jack's youngest son, said in a statement. "He lived an incredible life, achieving more than anyone would ever dream of and he will continue to live on through the astounding legacy he leaves behind."
Brabham, who was knighted in 1979, won back-to-back Formula 1 titles in 1959 and 1960. He later won for the third and final time in 1966, piloting a car -- a rear-engined BT19 -- of his own construction.
He finished his Formula 1 career in 1970 with 14 wins and 31 podiums spanning 15 years. Additionally, he drove in four Indianapolis 500s, with a best finish of ninth in 1961.
Kurt Busch Wrecks in Indianapolis 500 Practice
Kurt Busch may have qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, but he won't be using the same car with which he set that fast lap.
The NASCAR driver, marking his first foray into IndyCar this weekend, slammed into the turn two wall during a Monday practice run. The car was briefly set ablaze after the contact, coming to rest a short distance away.
Busch walked away from the incident under his own power, the Indianapolis Star reported.
"Settling into the race trim and the draft and the tows that you get and I was starting to feel comfortable," Busch said afterward. "Maybe that's where I made the mistake of letting my guard down or settling into that long-run-type of mentality whereas with an Indy car you have to be on edge. You have to keep track of where you are at all times and the adjustments in the car.
"Maybe I didn't keep up with keeping the car underneath me. Trying to get into that rhythm and feel other things around you and I got behind on my adjustments in the car."
The team is retrieving a backup car for Busch from the Andretti Autosport shop. The NASCAR veteran will start 12th in Sunday's Indianapolis 500, then travel by air to race in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.
David Starr Returns to Nationwide Series with Subcontracting Sponsor
After scoring the first top-10 finish of his Nationwide Series career, a ninth place earlier this month at Talladega Superspeedway, David Starr returns to the series this weekend and to that team for Saturday's race in Charlotte.
Starr will again pilot TriStar Motorsports' No. 44 for his sixth start of the 2014 season. The car will be sponsored by Central Texas Lath and Plaster, a Bulverde, Texas-based subcontracting company as the driver keeps attracting backing from his home state in order to compete. Starr is one of multiple competitors driving the team's No. 44, a funding-based opportunity; Hal Martin drove the car at Iowa Speedway last weekend, while Will Kimmel and Blake Koch have also slid behind the driver's seat.
The 46-year-old currently sits 22nd in series points.
Sir Jack Brabham, Three-Time Formula 1 Champion, Dead at 88
Sir Jack Brabham, a three-time Formula 1 champion who is the only competitor to win a Formula 1 title driving one of his own cars, has died. He was 88.
Brabham, from Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia, died Monday at his home in Gold Coast, news that was first reported by ESPN. He's survived by his wife Margaret and three children, Geoff, David and Gary -- all of whom also had racing careers.
"It's a very sad day for all of us," David Brabham, Jack's youngest son, said in a statement. "He lived an incredible life, achieving more than anyone would ever dream of and he will continue to live on through the astounding legacy he leaves behind."
Brabham, who was knighted in 1979, won back-to-back Formula 1 titles in 1959 and 1960. He later won for the third and final time in 1966, piloting a car -- a rear-engined BT19 -- of his own construction.
He finished his Formula 1 career in 1970 with 14 wins and 31 podiums spanning 15 years. Additionally, he drove in four Indianapolis 500s, with a best finish of ninth in 1961.
Kurt Busch Wrecks in Indianapolis 500 Practice
Kurt Busch may have qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, but he won't be using the same car with which he set that fast lap.
The NASCAR driver, marking his first foray into IndyCar this weekend, slammed into the turn two wall during a Monday practice run. The car was briefly set ablaze after the contact, coming to rest a short distance away.
Busch walked away from the incident under his own power, the Indianapolis Star reported.
"Settling into the race trim and the draft and the tows that you get and I was starting to feel comfortable," Busch said afterward. "Maybe that's where I made the mistake of letting my guard down or settling into that long-run-type of mentality whereas with an Indy car you have to be on edge. You have to keep track of where you are at all times and the adjustments in the car.
"Maybe I didn't keep up with keeping the car underneath me. Trying to get into that rhythm and feel other things around you and I got behind on my adjustments in the car."
The team is retrieving a backup car for Busch from the Andretti Autosport shop. The NASCAR veteran will start 12th in Sunday's Indianapolis 500, then travel by air to race in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.
David Starr Returns to Nationwide Series with Subcontracting Sponsor
After scoring the first top-10 finish of his Nationwide Series career, a ninth place earlier this month at Talladega Superspeedway, David Starr returns to the series this weekend and to that team for Saturday's race in Charlotte.
Starr will again pilot TriStar Motorsports' No. 44 for his sixth start of the 2014 season. The car will be sponsored by Central Texas Lath and Plaster, a Bulverde, Texas-based subcontracting company as the driver keeps attracting backing from his home state in order to compete. Starr is one of multiple competitors driving the team's No. 44, a funding-based opportunity; Hal Martin drove the car at Iowa Speedway last weekend, while Will Kimmel and Blake Koch have also slid behind the driver's seat.
The 46-year-old currently sits 22nd in series points.
Have news for Kevin and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
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GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2014. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!
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Today's Featured Commentary
Graduation Day for Chase Elliott: Looking Forward, but Not Too Fast
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GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2014. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Graduation Day for Chase Elliott: Looking Forward, but Not Too Fast
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
It's graduation season! High school seniors everywhere are decking out their cars with tassels, a time-honored method of celebrating the end of your basic education. Except in NASCAR. Chase Elliott couldn't really dangle his tassel from his No. 9's rear-view mirror... I'm pretty sure that is not allowed by the rule book. So, his team mounted his cap to the pit box -- at once a reminder of all he has already accomplished in his short life while doubling as a symbol of future possibilities.
What might those be? In Chase's instance, the immediate goal could be something as significant as winning the 2014 Nationwide Series Championship. So far, so good in that department; he hung onto the series points lead for one more week after a solid fourth-place finish at Iowa Sunday afternoon. Snaring the year-end trophy would not be too shabby for somebody who took his last high school quiz just a week or two ago. And after Elliott dominates the awards ceremony, leaving the press buzzing after Homestead, wouldn't it make sense to step right up to Sprint Cup? After all, we've had Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson stop in Nationwide just long enough to master the post-race interview before moving up.
Well, car owner of Chase's No. 9 Chevy, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. doesn't think they should be so hasty. During a media appearance recently, Junior said, "[Chase] is really young, too, so he has a lot of time on his hands and time to get to Cup level to realize that potential, one day. But yes, I think he can just sit there and relax knowing what we tried to set out to do from the start and not really adjust."
All this patience from the man whom NASCAR Nation watched grow up at his father's elbow in the pits -- much like Chase. There's recognition in Dale's words that taking the time to grow -- not just physically, but mentally -- is critical when considering a lifelong career in stock car racing. Everything doesn't have to happen today. The lessons learned taking the green flag for more than one season in the same series allows time for the driver to not only build knowledge about the tracks and his machine, but also the rhythm of the garage. How to adjust to traveling every week of the year, handling the never-ending pressure of the media and the fans, finding comfort in your own infield bus... there's an off-track checklist that's just as important, if not more so.
It's graduation season! High school seniors everywhere are decking out their cars with tassels, a time-honored method of celebrating the end of your basic education. Except in NASCAR. Chase Elliott couldn't really dangle his tassel from his No. 9's rear-view mirror... I'm pretty sure that is not allowed by the rule book. So, his team mounted his cap to the pit box -- at once a reminder of all he has already accomplished in his short life while doubling as a symbol of future possibilities.
What might those be? In Chase's instance, the immediate goal could be something as significant as winning the 2014 Nationwide Series Championship. So far, so good in that department; he hung onto the series points lead for one more week after a solid fourth-place finish at Iowa Sunday afternoon. Snaring the year-end trophy would not be too shabby for somebody who took his last high school quiz just a week or two ago. And after Elliott dominates the awards ceremony, leaving the press buzzing after Homestead, wouldn't it make sense to step right up to Sprint Cup? After all, we've had Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson stop in Nationwide just long enough to master the post-race interview before moving up.
Well, car owner of Chase's No. 9 Chevy, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. doesn't think they should be so hasty. During a media appearance recently, Junior said, "[Chase] is really young, too, so he has a lot of time on his hands and time to get to Cup level to realize that potential, one day. But yes, I think he can just sit there and relax knowing what we tried to set out to do from the start and not really adjust."
All this patience from the man whom NASCAR Nation watched grow up at his father's elbow in the pits -- much like Chase. There's recognition in Dale's words that taking the time to grow -- not just physically, but mentally -- is critical when considering a lifelong career in stock car racing. Everything doesn't have to happen today. The lessons learned taking the green flag for more than one season in the same series allows time for the driver to not only build knowledge about the tracks and his machine, but also the rhythm of the garage. How to adjust to traveling every week of the year, handling the never-ending pressure of the media and the fans, finding comfort in your own infield bus... there's an off-track checklist that's just as important, if not more so.
Yes, Chase Elliott seems destined for a place among the NASCAR firmament. But never forget that he is still a human, and a very young one at that. Just as we fight to raise our own children by giving them the time and space to discover their own place in this world, so must the same respect and support be afforded even a successful teen athlete like Chase.
These days, we do have an example of one driver who came up to Cup perhaps a little faster than was wise. Joey Logano took the racing world by storm while he was still trying to figure out how to fit his prom in with a racing schedule. Before he could blink, the 18-year-old was parked in Tony Stewart's Home Depot No. 20 machine and expected to win. It was not only races, but if he was truly Sliced Bread, the expectation of winning a Cup lingered in the air, too, a goal which was simply unrealistic... and unfair. Not only did Logano have to struggle with lessons in handling his new car, he had to learn by walking through flames how to handle all the pressure that comes with stepping into a man's world while still a teenager. Six years later, Logano has finally settled into his grown-up skin, albeit with a new organization and after coming close to losing a top-tier Cup opportunity. At nearly 24 years of age, that's about right.
There's nothing I love watching more than rookies stunning the elder statesmen of the sport with their youthful zeal and daring-do. I can remember times when Jeff Gordon managed to pull off the impossible pass, bullied his way through traffic jams and danced like the kid he was in Victory Lane. I get completely stoked when Chase Elliott does the same, today.
However, at no time would I wish upon Chase the unnecessary stress of climbing the ladder to the stars too fast. He's got years and years of driving ahead of him. By waiting an extra season now, I'm wishing him all those future races to be happy ones.
And that, folks, is what really counts when all is said and done. Junior, you're doing right by Chase.
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna and on her Facebook page (she's an author, too!) at https://www.facebook.com/Author.SDGrady.
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ADVERTISEMENT
Numbers Game: Sprint All-Star Race
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Jimmie Johnson after winning the last two All-Star Races in a row.
0
Laps led by Jamie McMurray, in any All-Star Race before Saturday night's upset victory.
1st
Position for Kevin Harvick, entering the final segment before a poor pit stop dropped him to fifth. Harvick had the best average finish of all drivers in Segments 1-4.
2
Segments won by Kasey Kahne before pancaking the side of his No. 5 Chevy against the Turn 4 wall. Kahne wound up 14th.
3
Stewart-Haas Racing drivers to finish inside the top 12, the most of any team in the All-Star Race.
7
Cars who failed to finish the All-Star Race due to wrecks. That's the most since 2010.
9
Lead changes in the event Saturday night, the most for this event since 2004.
13
Active All-Star Race winners after Jamie McMurray's triumph Saturday night. The list includes Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Terry Labonte, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip.
15th
Finishing position of Josh Wise in his All-Star Race debut after becoming the surprise winner of the Fan Vote. Wise had never previously transferred into the All-Star Race.
31
Laps led by McMurray, the most of any driver Saturday night.
$78,181
Money won by last-place Joey Logano in the All-Star event.
$1,035,734
Money won by winner Jamie McMurray in the All-Star event.
These days, we do have an example of one driver who came up to Cup perhaps a little faster than was wise. Joey Logano took the racing world by storm while he was still trying to figure out how to fit his prom in with a racing schedule. Before he could blink, the 18-year-old was parked in Tony Stewart's Home Depot No. 20 machine and expected to win. It was not only races, but if he was truly Sliced Bread, the expectation of winning a Cup lingered in the air, too, a goal which was simply unrealistic... and unfair. Not only did Logano have to struggle with lessons in handling his new car, he had to learn by walking through flames how to handle all the pressure that comes with stepping into a man's world while still a teenager. Six years later, Logano has finally settled into his grown-up skin, albeit with a new organization and after coming close to losing a top-tier Cup opportunity. At nearly 24 years of age, that's about right.
There's nothing I love watching more than rookies stunning the elder statesmen of the sport with their youthful zeal and daring-do. I can remember times when Jeff Gordon managed to pull off the impossible pass, bullied his way through traffic jams and danced like the kid he was in Victory Lane. I get completely stoked when Chase Elliott does the same, today.
However, at no time would I wish upon Chase the unnecessary stress of climbing the ladder to the stars too fast. He's got years and years of driving ahead of him. By waiting an extra season now, I'm wishing him all those future races to be happy ones.
And that, folks, is what really counts when all is said and done. Junior, you're doing right by Chase.
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna and on her Facebook page (she's an author, too!) at https://www.facebook.com/Author.SDGrady.
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Numbers Game: Sprint All-Star Race
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Jimmie Johnson after winning the last two All-Star Races in a row.
0
Laps led by Jamie McMurray, in any All-Star Race before Saturday night's upset victory.
1st
Position for Kevin Harvick, entering the final segment before a poor pit stop dropped him to fifth. Harvick had the best average finish of all drivers in Segments 1-4.
2
Segments won by Kasey Kahne before pancaking the side of his No. 5 Chevy against the Turn 4 wall. Kahne wound up 14th.
3
Stewart-Haas Racing drivers to finish inside the top 12, the most of any team in the All-Star Race.
7
Cars who failed to finish the All-Star Race due to wrecks. That's the most since 2010.
9
Lead changes in the event Saturday night, the most for this event since 2004.
13
Active All-Star Race winners after Jamie McMurray's triumph Saturday night. The list includes Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Terry Labonte, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip.
15th
Finishing position of Josh Wise in his All-Star Race debut after becoming the surprise winner of the Fan Vote. Wise had never previously transferred into the All-Star Race.
31
Laps led by McMurray, the most of any driver Saturday night.
$78,181
Money won by last-place Joey Logano in the All-Star event.
$1,035,734
Money won by winner Jamie McMurray in the All-Star event.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-in-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
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Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Greg Davis
by Brad Morgan
by Jeff Meyer
by Phil Allaway
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1990 Coca-Cola 600 is best known for a dominating victory by Rusty Wallace and an incident that took Dale Earnhardt right out of contention early. Around the halfway point of the race, Bobby Hillin, Jr. had just lost the fifth position to Bill Elliott, yet was still on pace for one of his best finishes of the season when it all went wrong. What happened?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Rusty Wallace won ten races during the 1993 season. However, he had a rather noticeable swoon that began with a blowover flip at the finish of the Winston 500 at Talladega. The next month and change after that was a struggle, despite decent runs and the Coca-Cola 600 was no exception. What happened to Wallace here?
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1990 Coca-Cola 600 is best known for a dominating victory by Rusty Wallace and an incident that took Dale Earnhardt right out of contention early. Around the halfway point of the race, Bobby Hillin, Jr. had just lost the fifth position to Bill Elliott, yet was still on pace for one of his best finishes of the season when it all went wrong. What happened?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Rusty Wallace won ten races during the 1993 season. However, he had a rather noticeable swoon that began with a blowover flip at the finish of the Winston 500 at Talladega. The next month and change after that was a struggle, despite decent runs and the Coca-Cola 600 was no exception. What happened to Wallace here?
A: After running well for the first 300 miles and change, Wallace spun and hit the inside wall on the backstretch on Lap 224. It was a combination of relatively cold tires (he'd just pitted a couple of laps earlier for four tires) and an aero loose condition under Bill Elliott. The crash can be seen here. The damage was repairable, but Wallace dropped a couple of laps off the pace as the next 99 laps were under green. Late in the race, Wallace hit the wall exiting Turn 4, terminally damaging the No. 2 Pontiac and relegating Wallace to a 29th-place finish.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Greg Davis
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Greg Davis
-- Professor of Speed by Dr. Mark Howell
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Allen Bedgood
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Open-Wheel Wednesday by P. Huston Ladner
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Open-Wheel Wednesday by P. Huston Ladner
Huston is back with another interesting article about the Verizon IndyCar Series ahead of Sunday's Indianapolis 500.
Beth sits down with the Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year contender to discuss his rookie season and racing as part of NASCAR's First Family.
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
This week, Tom gives us another series of quick hits as we head into Memorial Day weekend, including a report card-style look at what drivers have done during the first portion of the regular season.
The Frontstretch Five by Amy Henderson
Amy steps up with 1,2,3,4,5 reasons you should be concerned about something going on in NASCAR this week.
NASCAR Mailbox by Summer Bedgood
Summer returns for her weekly session of answering questions from you, our loyal fans. Do you have a question or comment for Summer? Don't be shy. Just send her an email (summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com) and you might just see your name in print!
NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the All-Star Race compiled by Michael Mehedin
Jamie McMurray's win Saturday night, along with some issues for drivers high up in the points could cause quite the shake-up in the rankings. Find out how your favorite national experts voted, laughing along with their one-liners in the latest update of our weekly NASCAR poll.
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